


lockdown to love

by moonbuns



Category: X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Domestic Fluff, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mentions of Sexual Content, seungyoun is a clueless boy, this is way more domestic than i imagined
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24065017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonbuns/pseuds/moonbuns
Summary: Quarantine to do list: wake up, try not to skip Zoom class, take a nap or two, fall in love with your roommate. Wait. What?
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Lee Hangyul
Comments: 43
Kudos: 92





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this was just supposed to be a short oneshot but it got a bit out of hand hehe pls enjoy clueless quarantine bros seungyul

Seungyoun comes home to find Hangyul halfway inside their fridge, playing tetris with an unreasonable amount of boxes. He quirks a brow at the back end of his roommate sticking out from the freezer. “So. Lock down huh?”

Hangyul straightens up enough to crane his neck around to look at him. “Hey, you’re home! Don’t worry hyung, I got us everything we needed.” He waves a hand at the multitude of frozen pizzas squished unceremoniously into their poor freezer and grins sunnily at him. The sight has Seungyoun’s heart suddenly skipping a beat and he puts a hand to his chest in surprise. Hold on. What was that?

 _That_ was the start of Seungyoun’s journey of self-discovering his Very Real feelings for his Very Attractive absolutely Not Into Him Like That roommate.

Now really, the problems start at dinner that night (they are having one of the seventeen frozen pizzas because the last box unfortunately would not fit into the freezer and consuming it was the only obvious answer). They’re watching the news from the floor of their living room, pizza in between them on the coffee table. The news anchor is talking about the city wide shut down in a serious monotone. 

“Shelter in place sounds scary,” Seungyoun comments, picking a piece of pepperoni off a slice and popping it into his mouth.

“We should build a blanket fort.”

“How does that relate at all to what I just said?” He gives Hangyul a confused side eye.

“Shelter. Fort. Forts are for shelter. Anyway I’ll get the blankets.”

“Wait!” He grabs Hangyul’s shirt before he can get up.

“What?” Hangyul shakes off his greasy fingers, wrinkling his nose as he inspects his sleeve for oily stains.

Seungyoun nods to the food between them, pouting exaggeratedly. “Finish the last slice, I’m full.”

The younger rolls his eyes, laughing quietly, but settles back down and reaches for the slice. Wordlessly, he picks off the remaining pepperoni and puts it on Seungyoun’s plate before practically inhaling the rest.

Seungyoun stares at him, feeling a strange swooping in his stomach. “Why did you do that?” When Hangyul raises a questioning brow at him, fingers in his mouth as he licks them clean, he nods to the pepperoni.

“Oh.” Hangyul shrugs and gets up to clean the table. “It’s your favorite hyung. Hurry up and finish, I’m going to wash the dishes.”

Seungyoun obediently clears his plate and Hangyul whisks it away as soon as it’s empty. He is left with that unfamiliar sensation in his stomach. He tries to convince himself it’s just the dairy from their dinner but when he goes into the kitchen to wash his hands, the soft smile Hangyul gives him seems to intensify the feeling and he isn’t so sure it’s related at all to the pizza.

He doesn’t really have time to dwell on this though, as Hangyul rushes down the hall and back again in a flash, arms loaded with all the blankets he has managed to scrounge up. Seungyoun laughs at the pure delight on the other’s face, finding his excitement infectious, and forgets about the way his stomach has been dancing inside his abdomen all night in favor of focusing on constructing the most architecturally-sound fort made out of the flimsiest of materials.

It shouldn’t take them long to finish, both because they have very limited space and even more limited blankets, but they keep messing around and getting off track. They squabble over design and building methods and Hangyul keeps tossing sheets over Seungyoun’s head whenever they fail to come to a common agreement. He does this mostly so he can proclaim that he “doesn’t need to listen to Seungyoun if he can’t see Seungyoun” and, more importantly, “no vision, no opinion.” Seungyoun responds to this by tackling him to the ground and inevitably ruining any building progress they have made. So by the time they have an actual structure, the two of them are panting and out of breath, both from wrestling around and from laughing so hard.

They finish off their humble fort with all the couch cushions arranged inside like a low-quality bounce house. They crawl in and slump down on top of them with sighs of relief.

“So that only took us a good, what? Two hours?” jokes Seungyoun, shifting around to get comfortable. In theory, the number of pillows and cushions they’ve tossed in here should have made this the best place to lay but he is sure that if he spent the night in here he’d wake up with more aches in his back than he’d like to imagine.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Hangyul responds sagely, trying and failing to keep a straight face. Their eyes meet and they burst into laughter.

When their giggles wear off, Seungyoun looks around at the inside of their fort. “So. Now what?”

Hangyul shrugs. “Dunno.”

“What? But you’re the one who wanted to build it!”

“Yeah, I wanted to build it and now we have. Now it’s your turn to decide where we go from here.”

“That doesn’t even make any sense.”

“I already did _my_ part of the group project.”

Seungyoun scoffs. “This is a group project now?”

“Yes and we will finish it when you stop slacking off.”

He scoffs again, giving Hangyul an affronted look. “Fine! We sit here in silence.” He glares at him, knowing the other cannot bear to keep quiet for very long.

Hangyul sees the challenge in his eyes and raises his brows, accepting it. “Fine. Now shut up.”

“No, you—!”

“Shh,” Hangyul presses his finger to Seungyoun’s lips, smirking mischievously. “It’s quiet time.” Seungyoun only glares back at him until he drops his hand. 

Determined to win this (though there isn’t really anything to win), he leans his head back and closes his eyes. He can feel Hangyul shifting beside him and he sneaks a quick peek over to see how close the other is to breaking. Except when he does, he finds his heart doing that very unnecessary beat-skipping that it had started doing ever since he’d come home today.

Hangyul is very close to him. Their living room is only so big and they only had so many blankets, so their fort isn’t the nine bedroom Beverly Hills mansion that Seungyoun had originally envisioned. It only has one room, first of all. And it is a small room, just enough for the two of them to lay beside each other with inches of space between them. Hangyul’s face is so close to his shoulder and if he would just lean down the slightest bit he could brush his lips across his cheek or boop his nose with his own or press his cheek against his forehead or maybe, he could just not think about these things that normal roommates definitely do not think about.

A bump against his shoulder abruptly brings Seungyoun out of his thoughts, only to find Hangyul staring back at him in confusion. He furrows his brows and mouths “What?” as he studies Seungyoun’s face.

Panicked, Seungyoun grasps for something to say, determined to maintain some level of normalcy. “Y-You spoke! Ha, you lose!”

“That doesn’t count you ass!” Hangyul exclaims, sitting up quickly and brandishing a finger at him. The top of his head brushes the ceiling of the fort, making the structure tremble. 

“It does!”

“It was _silent_ —”

“It was still a word!”

Hangyul glares wordlessly at him, lips pushed up in the beginnings of a pout. “You’re such a cheater.” He huffs and moves to crawl out of the fort with his pride intact.

“Hey!” Seungyoun leans over and pulls him back in a loose headlock, tucking him under his chin. “Where are you going! Don’t be a sore loser, c’mon.”

Hangyul pretends to grumble into Seungyoun’s elbow, his lips tickling the skin there. Seungyoun tries very hard to not think about that. Hangyul looks up at him through his lashes and he instead thinks about how pretty his eyes are. Seungyoun averts his gaze and lets go of him quickly.

“We should clean up,” he says after a moment. “It’s probably getting late.”

Hangyul hums in agreement. He looks around at the interior of their blanket fort and smiles. “Thank you for your service,” he says humbly, gazing at the blanket walls surrounding them. He nods solemnly before kicking his leg out and knocking out an entire side of their fort, causing the whole structure to collapse on top of them. He snickers at Seungyoun’s shocked cry and then the two of them dissolve into contagious laughter together, cleaning up forgotten in favor of laying there until they are breathless.

Later, the pair of them drag their own blankets back to their rooms and Seungyoun bids Hangyul a good night before ducking into his room. He breathes a tired sigh as he dumps his sheets back onto his bed. His heart had been stuttering inside of him the entire time he’d been around Hangyul as if it had forgotten the proper way to beat. It’s confusing.

Seungyoun doesn’t really know what to do with all these strange thoughts and feelings, and a quick Google search tells him that he’s most likely having a heart attack, which is unhelpful and hopefully untrue. So he turns to the next best thing after the worldwide web and picks up his phone. The call connects after a quick minute and a blurry face flickers onto his screen.

“This better be quick, I have a date,” Seungwoo says in lieu of a greeting.

“Date? With who?” Seungyoun settles back in his chair and props his phone up on his desk. “You can’t go out anyway.”

“I’m video calling Wooseok,” explains Seungwoo. He pauses before pursing his lips in displeasure. “Obviously I’m not going out, I am a law abiding citizen. I’m not leaving the house.”

“Oh Wooseok? What are you gonna do? Have Zoom sex?” Seungyoun punctuates his teasing with an insinuating waggle of his eyebrows. 

“No!” gasps Seungwoo, looking mortified. “We’re just hanging out okay, friends with benefits are _friends_ too you know!"

Seungyoun chooses to ignore this, deciding they’ve spent enough time _not_ focusing on his very serious issue (if it does turn out to be a heart attack, Seungwoo would greatly regret allowing Seungyoun to let so much time pass before notifying him). “Mm, yeah sure anyway. I have a problem so he can wait like thirty minutes.”

“No he can’t!” the other bursts out abruptly, the volume blaring loudly from Seungyoun’s phone.

He rolls his eyes. “He can, I am sure he will understand.”

Seungwoo’s gaze flickers to the side and he shifts uncomfortably. Seungyoun can see his mouth moving but all he can hear is some indistinct mumbling and a feeble, “... scheduled in.”

“What.”

There’s a pause in which Seungwoo throws him a pained look. Seungyoun just stares back at him blankly, waiting. Seungwoo throws his hands up and groans before admitting, “He is on a tight schedule and he only allotted me two hours okay! I have to respect the schedule if I want to see him.”

It takes a moment for this to sink in before Seungyoun inhales sharply and laughs until his ribs ache. He’s pretty sure there’s tears in his eyes as he looks at Seungwoo’s red face. He takes a few deep breaths to calm himself down, unable to keep the laughter out of his voice when he responds. “I cant believe you have to schedule your sex with your fuck buddy because one: you’re whipped and two: you’re whipped.” He revels in the way Seungwoo presses his mouth into a thin line at this, gleeful at his friend’s expense. “Feelings for your friends with benefits? Couldn’t be me!”

“Shut up and tell me your emergency before I block your number,” Seungwoo growls, holding up a threatening finger, presumably hovering over the red end call button.

“Ah, no!” Seungyoun yelps, waving his hands in front of him. He scrambles to kiss up and apologize until the irritated tension leaves Seungwoo’s knit brows. “I’m having heart problems,” he says simply once he deems Seungwoo calmed down enough.

This makes Seungwoo stammer in surprise, eyes widening. “Heart problems?!” he repeats. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place! Are you okay? What are your symptoms?”

“It feels like my heart isn’t beating properly. Like sometimes it skips around. And also my chest gets really strange and warm too, almost like it hurts but it also kind of feels nice,” Seungyoun explains, glad that Seungwoo is taking him seriously.

“And when did this start happening?” Seungwoo is staring intensely back at him, almost as if he’ll blink and Seungyoun will collapse.

“I mean it only started today. And there’s another weird thing about it.”

“What else could there be?!” Seungwoo’s panic visibly rises.

“It’s only happening when Hangyul is around. Isn’t that weird?”

The expression on Seungwoo’s face changes in a flash, the alarm replaced with a blank stare and a dead look in his eyes. “Are you serious right now,” he says flatly.

“So do you think I’m dying,” Seungyoun asks, pretending not to hear him.

Seungwoo pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a slow, deep breath. “Are you serious,” he says again. 

“Yes hyung!” Seungyoun insists. “Oh my god, you think I’m dying don’t you?”

“So let me get this straight,” Seungwoo sighs. “You feel certain things around Hangyul.”

“Yup.”

“And you feel like your heart is acting up? Around Hangyul specifically?”

Seungyoun makes a noise of affirmation, waiting for Seungwoo’s expert diagnosis.

A pause. “And you’re making fun of _me_ for having feelings for my friends with benefits?” Seungwoo retorts in disbelief.

Seungyoun looks at him through narrowed eyes, thoroughly confused. “I don’t know how that’s even relevant here.”

“The fact that the irony is lost on you is both sad and funny Seungyoun.” Seungwoo shakes his head, bangs sweeping across his forehead with the movement. “Anyway, I’m going to go now because I have prior arrangements.”

Scoffing, Seungyoun glares at his friend. “I can’t believe getting your dick wet is more important to you than the fact that I may need a heart transplant.”

“If you’re going to the doctor, tell them about your common sense too. I think you’re missing it and that’s pretty life-threatening if you ask me,” he fires back. Still, he wishes Seungyoun a gentle good luck before waving goodbye and disconnecting the call.

Seungyoun isn’t quite sure what he needs luck for, unless Seungwoo _actually_ thinks he’s dying. He holds a hand to his chest and collapses into his bed. His heart beats steadily beneath his palm, absolutely normal. And then he remembers the way Hangyul had been so excited about building a fort in their living room and his heart begins to change pace, thudding irregularly in his chest like a startled bird. He thinks of the way his face had lit up when they’d finished it and stepped back to admire their hard work and the way he’d looked as they had laid next to each other inside their creation. His heart beats louder and faster, the sound thrumming in his ears now, and he takes a deep breath to try and bring it back to a normal rhythm. Letting his hand fall to his side, he lies there and stares at the ceiling, confused. Maybe it really was the dairy from the pizza. 

Except this theory is quickly debunked when Seungyoun’s heart continues to forget how to properly function the next day when Hangyul calls a cheery good morning to him as he steps into the kitchen. It does the same later that day when Hangyul gently pats Seungyoun’s head as he passes around the back of the couch and again at the end of the week when Hangyul leans over his shoulder to ask him about something on his laptop screen. The point is, this seems to be a long term problem. His heart even skips several beats when Hangyul texts him from his room late one night, sending him a funny video and a short “this made me think of you lol” attached.

The only good thing to note is that Hangyul hasn’t noticed the way Seungyoun jumps whenever his heart tries to betray him or the way he taps at his chest in an attempt to return his heart rate to its regularly scheduled programming. He plans on keeping it that way. He can’t have Hangyul knowing he’s either a) dying or b) having some sort of Hangyul-induced allergic reaction. Both would make him sad and that’s the last thing Seungyoun wants to do to him.

Seungyoun takes his post-breakfast nap on the living room couch, wanting a change of scenery from his bedroom. Technically it’s almost lunch time, but time isn’t real during quarantine, something he’s learned in the past week or so since lockdown started. He doesn’t know how long he’s been asleep when he suddenly jolts awake, faintly registering the sound of a pained groan coming from down the hall. He blinks blearily, convinced that he imagined the noise when he hears it again, louder and more agonized than the first time. It is quickly followed by the familiar thuds of running footsteps. He doesn’t even have the chance to sit up before he feels something heavy collapse on top of him, yelping in surprise as his eyes bulge open to find a wailing weight clinging to him.

“Hangyul, what—!”

“Hyung,” his housemate bemoans, very much inside his personal bubble. He looks distraught, lips pouty and eyes wide, just like a puppy. Seungyoun would pet his hair if he wasn’t currently pinned under him, frozen from sheer nerves at being practically nose to nose with Hangyul. “Hyung I’m so _screwed._ ”

Seungyoun is about to ask why when the other wails again and buries his face in Seungyoun’s chest. His heart pounds louder and louder in said chest, threatening to give him away and he flounders to say something to draw Hangyul’s attention away.

“W-what happened?” he nearly shouts.

“Look at this!” Hangyul brandishes his phone in Seungyoun’s face and he goes nearly cross-eyed trying to focus on the screen as it blurs in front of his vision. He squirms to free his arms from under the other boy and grabs the device to see properly.

“Hey, did you finish the lab set already, I’m stuck on number eight and…” he reads quietly to himself, still not quite understanding the situation. It’s just a text from Yohan asking for homework help. He redirects his attention back to Hangyul who’s no longer pressing his face into Seungyoun’s shirt but is still very much on top of him. He must register Seungyoun’s confusion because he begins to explain, pout evident on his face and in his voice.

“We have a lab set due tomorrow and I didn’t even know!” he whispers aggressively, as if speaking loudly will somehow notify his professor of how much he’s slacked off. He takes his phone back and taps the screen rather violently to emphasize his point. “It’s due _tomorrow_! At nine in the _morning_! I haven’t even _started_ and there’s at least eight labs and—!” He cuts himself off with a distressed moan, throwing his hands in the air and once again planting his face into Seungyoun’s sternum. He does so with so much force that Seungyoun coughs out a choked noise of surprise. This goes unnoticed by his troubled housemate.

“Hangyul, I’d love to help, and you know I would if I could but I know jackshit about coding and languages and no offense but your deadline is in,” he pauses and checks the time on Hangyul’s phone, “about eighteen hours and I don’t think laying on me will help you. Or Yohan for that matter, he seems very confused too.”

Hangyul raises his head just enough to make eye contact with Seungyoun, all downturned brows and glossy eyes. “Is it too late to drop out?” he whispers.

Seungyoun flicks him in the forehead, which he reacts to by dramatically rolling off of him with an exaggerated cry of pain. “I’m injured now, just take me out coach,” he laments from the ground.

“Come on, up you go.” Seungyoun stands and hauls him to his feet and begins to drag him down the hall to his room. He leads him by the shoulders into his desk chair and gives him several (hopefully encouraging) pats on the head. “You can do this, you’re one of the smartest people I know.” He ignores the pitiful whimpers from Hangyul as he forces him to start up his computer. He taps his nose and gives him a cheerful smile. “Once you get started, you’ll be fine.”

The corners of Hangyul’s mouth quirk a bit in response to Seungyoun’s smile, trying to fight off his severe pout, and Seungyoun knows he’s won. Hangyul shakes himself, straightening up in his chair and huffing a defeated sigh. He’s still a bit sulky and frazzled but he’s actively looking around for his textbook and notes, so Seungyoun knows he’s going to be alright. His heart swells with warmth as he watches Hangyul go from dejected to determined. Before he knows it, he finds himself leaning down and just barely brushing his lips against Hangyul’s forehead in the softest of kisses.

They both freeze, one surprised and the other slowly growing more mortified by the second. There’s really no way out of this so Seungyoun does the only logical thing anyone would do in this situation. He runs.

“Uh, good luck!” he shouts, leaping back and across the room to make his quick escape. He slams Hangyul’s door behind him and then his own bedroom door, hoping and praying that the other won’t waste any of his precious time before his deadline on trying to ask Seungyoun what that was all about. He mentally berates himself for getting too soft. He’d just gotten too caught up in the moment; Hangyul is a puppy and everyone loves puppies and puppies deserve lots of kisses on the tops of their heads. That was all. The fact that his heart is currently vibrating at a frequency that would surely shatter glass is unrelated to the matter at hand.

Seungyoun listens carefully for any sounds of Hangyul coming out of his room. Moments pass filled with nothing but silence and he presses his ear to his door in case that helps him pick up anything. Still, it’s quiet out in the hall. He takes his chances and opens the door just a crack, peering out. Hangyul’s bedroom is still closed; after a few seconds he hears the telltale clicking of fingers on a keyboard. Breathing out a heavy sigh of relief, Seungyoun quietly slips out of his room and slinks into the kitchen.

All that stress has gotten him hungry but upon closer inspection, the fridge is really only stocked with the frozen pizzas Hangyul had hoarded on the first day of lockdown and if he’s being honest, Seungyoun has had enough of those after eating them practically every day for the past week. He’s craving something fresher, something with real vegetables or real meat or really just anything that takes longer than twenty minutes in the oven at 375°F. As he continues to search the depths of their refrigerator, he finds that they’re out of kimchi and they’re running low on eggs and milk. He might as well head out to the grocery store to replenish their basic food essentials because the thought of another cheesy dinner makes his stomach grumble, in displeasure rather than in anticipation.

He decides he’ll make a big pot of tofu soup for him and Hangyul; they could definitely use a nice home-cooked meal. And maybe Seungyoun’s cooking will impress his housemate so much that he’ll forget about the little kiss from before. Maybe.

Seungyoun quickly changes into clothes that he hasn’t worn at least three times already this week and slips a mask onto his face. He hesitates before walking past Hangyul’s closed door. He doesn’t want to disturb him and he’s sure he won’t take too long; they aren’t supposed to be lingering outside of the house anyway. Plus Hangyul is probably very focused on his assignment and he won’t even notice that Seungyoun has stepped out. With that in mind, he grabs his house keys and silently slips out of the apartment.

His trip to the store is uneventful; there’s not too many people out and he thankfully manages to scoop up one of the few cartons of milk remaining on the shelves. It’s only when he completes his purchase and peers out of the grocery store doors that he realizes he’s in a spot of trouble. It’s raining and he has nothing but a flimsy hood and a heavy bag of groceries to protect himself. 

Seungyoun quietly berates himself for not checking the weather, or even just noticing the dark storm clouds when he’d stepped out. He grumbles as he flips his hood up, drawing it as low over his forehead as possible, and gripping his bag close to his chest. Thankfully it’s not too far a walk back to his apartment, but it will definitely be a cold one. 

He quickly splashes home, cringing every time he fails to avoid the growing puddles on the sidewalk. His sneakers grow damper and damper and by the time he’s on his doorstep he can feel his toes squelching in his socks. It’s the worst feeling in the world. Once inside, he quickly takes off his shoes and props them up against the rack so they can dry. He isn’t _completely_ soaked, but his sweatshirt is sticking to his back and he should really change before he manages to catch a cold. He’s just set the grocery bag on the kitchen counter when a door slams open and Hangyul comes barreling down the hallway.

“ _Hyung_!” he exclaims, catching himself as his socked feet slip on the smooth hardwood. “Where did you go!” It’s not really a question, more of a demand to explain. “You didn’t even tell me you were leaving!”

Hangyul gives him a quick once over, noticing the way his clothes are two shades too dark from the rainwater. “ _Hyung_!” he whines again, coming over to crowd into Seungyoun’s space. He tugs at his sweatshirt to get him to quickly remove it, rambling on as he fusses over him. “It started raining and I _knew_ you didn’t take your umbrella—you always leave it in your room—we don’t even need groceries, we have like nine more pizzas left you know—!”

“It’s fine,” Seungyoun insists, now stripped down to just his t-shirt, which is also clinging uncomfortably to his skin. “And no offense but I don’t want to see another pizza for the rest of my life, dude.”

Hangyul returns this with a displeased roll of his eyes. “You still should have checked the weather or told me to come get you. You’re going to get sick and then we’ll be stuck in quarantine forever.”

He turns and begins to empty the grocery bag, smacking Seungyoun’s hands away when he tries to help. “Ah, ah! Go take a shower or _else_!”

“You have an assignment,” Seungyoun reminds him as he tries to sneak the tofu into the fridge without Hangyul catching him. He fails unfortunately, the box snatched out of his hands before Hangyul is physically pushing him out of the kitchen and down the hall.

“Yeah and you’re going to have a cold _and_ an angry housemate if you don’t get your ass in the shower,” scolds Hangyul. “I can handle putting the groceries away for five minutes. I can’t handle you getting sick and snotting all over the place!”

“That’s not even a word,” he continues to protest, even when Hangyul closes the bathroom door in his face, effectively shutting him in. He rattles the doorknob which stays steady, obviously unmoved when the other is holding it tightly from the other side. “Alright, alright. Just go finish your work!”

Seungyoun quickly steps into the shower, grateful to shed his wet clothes. The hot water feels nice on his skin, chasing away the chill that clung to his body, but it pales in comparison to the warmth bursting in his chest. Hangyul’s fussing had made his heart skip too many beats, but it had also planted something warm and fuzzy between his ribcage, something he wasn’t quite sure how to put a name to. The feeling remains even when he towels off and gets dressed, persists as he pads back into the kitchen, and blooms into something bigger when he sees Hangyul standing over the stove. 

That something washes over him in a flood of affection as he watches Hangyul sway to the music coming from his phone, a wooden spoon held in his hands like a makeshift microphone. He’s putting on quite a show, both vocals and dance, bouncing from side to side and tossing his head this way and that as he passionately belts out as many high notes as he can. He whips around on his toes in a dramatic spin and freezes when he finds Seungyoun watching him with a grin on his face.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“No no, please continue,” Seungyoun teases, jerking his chin in a _go on_ kind of way. 

“Why didn’t you say something,” Hangyul whines, letting his wooden microphone clatter onto the counter. 

Seungyoun just laughs and starts to gather ingredients for dinner. “Why would I?”

“Because I wasn’t planning on giving anyone this show for _free_!”

At this, Seungyoun looks at him and rolls his eyes, scoffing. 

“C’mon, pay up!”

Now it’s Seungyoun’s turn to shove Hangyul out of the kitchen. “I’m literally about to make you dinner. Go finish your work, I know you’re just procrastinating at this point.”

“Fine, but I _always_ collect my debts,” Hangyul calls, sticking his head out of his bedroom. “I won’t be forgetting!”

Seungyoun just laughs, shaking his head to himself as he gets a pot of water boiling. If he ignores the way his heart feels like it’s practically floating around inside of him, he can pretend that everything is normal between the two of them and that little kiss from before didn’t even happen. And it seems like Hangyul won’t be mentioning it, which Seungyoun is immensely grateful for, and that puts his mind at ease. They are normal. Everything is normal. 

He focuses on slicing vegetables and flavoring broth for soup, taking care to be as quiet as one can be while cooking. Hangyul had left his door open, presumably to shout out at Seungyoun whenever he gets bored (which he does, mostly things like “I hate semicolons!” and “If I make a virginal sacrifice, do you think my code will run?”) and Seungyoun doesn’t want to distract him enough to draw him back out of his room. The sooner Hangyul finishes, the sooner they can do something fun together. Though he likes his alone time, spending most waking moments together with Hangyul for the past week has made Seungyoun really miss the other’s presence in these few hours he had spent shut in his room today.

Seungyoun has just begun spooning soup into bowls when Hangyul startles him from behind.

“Hyung,” he speaks into the silence, nearly making Seungyoun drop his ladle. “Shit, sorry— I just wanted to tell you to eat without me.”

Seungyoun raises a questioning brow at him as he calms his racing heart and continues to fill his bowl.

“Yohan needs help on the last few labs so I’m going to walk him through them over the phone. I’m not sure how long it’ll take and I don’t want to make you wait for me…” Hangyul trails off, looking apologetic.

“Oh.” Seungyoun is disappointed definitely, but he doesn’t like the crestfallen look on Hangyul’s face so he gives him a bright grin to try and chase the gloom away. “It’s okay, don’t worry!” he beams. He picks up his dinner and gestures for Hangyul to follow him back down the hall to both of their rooms. “It’ll be fine. We can do something tomorrow, okay?” He carefully balances his bowl against his chest with one hand while he reaches out with the other to ruffle Hangyul’s hair. The action makes the other perk up and he leans into Seungyoun’s touch. Seungyoun’s heart practically purrs in his chest. He drops his hand and turns to go into his room.

“Good night hyung,” Hangyul says softly, standing in the doorway of his own room. There’s something warm in his eyes as he gazes at him, something that makes Seungyoun’s heart want to burst right out of his chest. 

“Good night Hangyul,” he says quickly, hoping his smile doesn’t betray the way he feels like he might go into cardiac arrest. He closes his bedroom door behind him and settles down for a quiet dinner by himself. It really shouldn’t feel that abnormal; after all, they had meals separately all the time before lockdown. But Seungyoun had gotten used to Hangyul sitting across from him while he ate, always within reach, always with a soft smile on his face whenever their eyes met over their plates. He can’t explain the sense of loneliness he feels as he mindlessly watches random videos and eats at his desk, just like he can’t explain the way his heart has been behaving all this time. The only thing he can explain is the way he misses Hangyul despite the fact that the boy is only a few yards away, just down the hall.

Seungyoun misses him as he drinks the last of his soup, misses him as he washes his dishes and sets aside a bowl for Hangyul to heat up later. He misses him even more when he passes by his closed door and hears him laughing with Yohan on the phone. He misses him as he curls into bed to try and get some sleep. His last thought before falling into unconsciousness is the way Hangyul had looked up at Seungyoun after he had kissed him, a warm glow in his eyes and the beginnings of a gentle smile at the corners of his mouth.

Seungyoun is jerked awake by a firm grip on his shoulder and an urgent looking Hangyul hovering over him. He doesn’t have any time to question it before he’s tugged out of bed and out the door. He’s so out of it that he doesn’t even let go of his blanket, dragging it behind him as Hangyul steers him to the dining table and pushes him down into a chair. Still nearly half asleep, he watches the other move around the kitchen and put down some bowls and spoons on the table in front of him before collapsing into the chair across from him with a box of cereal.

“What are you doing?” Seungyoun yawns, still not quite processing anything that’s happening.

Hangyul grins widely, eyes crinkling at the corners. “I finished my labs!” He looks very proud of himself.

“Good job,” Seungyoun says sincerely. Then, “So what am I doing here?”

“I thought we could both use some cereal.” Hangyul pours corn flakes into the two bowls.

Seungyoun wraps his blanket around his shoulders, fighting off another yawn as he gives Hangyul a look of drowsy disbelief. “Why?”

Opening the carton of milk, Hangyul looks at him with his lips jutted into the beginnings of a pout. “I just wanted a reason to be with you, is all...”

Oh. Seungyoun can’t argue with that, so instead he watches as Hangyul fills his bowl with almost twice as much milk than cereal. It makes him feel warm that Hangyul wanted a reason to be with him, but it makes him feel even more warm to know that he knows just how he prefers his milk to cereal ratio. When the bowl is pushed towards him, he obediently stabs his spoon into it and takes a cold bite. They sit together in a comfortable quiet, just enjoying the other’s company.

“I was really worried when you left.” 

Seungyoun blinks at him, still drowsy, and now confused. 

“You left without saying anything after… you know.” Hangyul stiffly shrugs his shoulders, looking intently into his bowl. 

Oh. Now he’s sleepy _and_ embarrassed. Seungyoun feels the color spread across his face and he copies Hangyul in engaging his own cereal in an intense staring competition. “You were busy and… didn’t want to disturb you,” he murmurs around his spoon.

The two of them are quiet for some time, only the sounds of their clinking silverware filling the kitchen. Seungyoun doesn’t dare look at the other, instead drawing his blanket tighter around him as he stirs his milk mindlessly.

“It’s okay you know,” Hangyul suddenly starts. Seungyoun chances a quick glance at him, only to find him determinedly gazing into his bowl once again. “It happens. Like, I don’t mind. Or anything. It’s whatever, not a big deal. So, you know. It’s fine,” he finishes haltingly, finally looking up.

Seungyoun is quick to avert his gaze, once again feeling his cheeks warm. “Please don’t,” he mumbles weakly.

Hangyul merely hums in response and they fall into silence once again. Seungyoun is pouring himself another bowl of cereal when Hangyul pipes up.

“Wanna watch One Piece?”

Seungyoun looks at him, incredulous. “It’s three in the morning. I want to go back to sleep.”

“C’mon, you’re awake now anyway!”

“Not by _choice_!” Seungyoun jabs his spoon in the other’s direction.

“We didn’t even get to hang out all day though. Please?” Hangyul is almost whining at this point, doing his best to persuade him. He bats his lashes prettily. “Please?” he appeals one more time.

Seungyoun narrows his eyes at him, knowing he cannot refuse much longer. Plus he sees this for what it is: a chance for the two of them to move back into normalcy and forget any kissing that has happened in the past twenty four hours. He makes a big show of it though, sighing deeply and shaking his head. “Fine, I _guess_ if you _really_ want to.”

Hangyul gasps gleefully before bringing his bowl up to his mouth and practically inhaling the rest of his cereal. He stands up quickly, an excited grin spreading across his face. “Come on, you can finish while we watch!” He is off and down the hall before Seungyoun even registers his words. He laughs quietly to himself, endeared.

He finds Hangyul in his room, already scrolling through to find the episode they’d left off on. The two of them usually watch movies and shows in Hangyul’s room because his monitors are bigger and his bed is angled just right with the perfect view. 

“You better not spill,” Hangyul warns as Seungyoun climbs into his bed.

“You better not spill,” he mimics in response, sticking his tongue out at him before stuffing a large spoonful into his mouth. Still, he holds his bowl steady when Hangyul settles down next to him and finishes as quick as he can so any movements won’t end up with milk splashed across Hangyul’s pillows. He sets the now empty bowl on the nightstand just as the theme song is finishing up.

It’s usually very comfortable when they watch like this, but today Seungyoun is hyper aware of how close the two of them are. Nothing has changed between them since the last time they’d watched something together, but now Seungyoun’s heart won’t stop swooning at every little thing Hangyul does and the close proximity is making it go into overdrive. He shrinks back into the pillows, hoping he can just get through this one episode and then scurry back to his own room.

Hangyul nudges him with his elbow, glancing over. When Seungyoun looks back at him, he raises his brows and gives Seungyoun a tentative smile as if assuring him that everything’s fine. He feels the tension visibly leave his body; of course everything is fine. This is Hangyul of all people! There’s nothing to be awkward about. Like he’d said before, it happens, it’s not a big deal. Finally relaxed, Seungyoun tries his best to focus on the episode and ignore the way his eyelids droop. He _thinks_ he’s responding to Hangyul’s commentary but he only manages drowsy grunts as he slowly finds it harder and harder to stay awake. He leans into Hangyul, drawn to his warmth, and barely notices him tugging the blanket off his shoulders to instead settle it across the both of them. The last thing he remembers before falling into a comfortable sleep is Luffy’s delighted laugh from the screen and the steady rise and fall of Hangyul’s breathing beside him. He sleeps snugly.


	2. Chapter 2

Seungyoun wakes up feeling cozy and well-rested. He buries deeper into the solid warmth surrounding him; he’s never felt so secure and comfortable before. It’s only when he recalls last night that his eyes fly open and he is met with the sight of a calmly sleeping Hangyul splayed out beside him. He’s got one arm tucked under Seungyoun’s head, the other bent under his own head, and their legs are tangled together. Confused and mildly panicking, Seungyoun wonders if there is a way to escape without waking the other up, but it’s highly unlikely. He would have to first manage to put enough space between them without shifting Hangyul around, and then he’d have to climb _over_ him to get off the bed. He’s trapped. He tries to shrink away from the other’s touch but there’s nowhere to really go and it turns out it’s too late now because Hangyul’s head rolls to the side and he mumbles incoherently as he slowly wakes up.

Seungyoun freezes, unsure of where to look when Hangyul’s eyes finally blink open. There’s a moment of silence, only filled with the sound of rain tapping against the window, as the two of them just look at each other before Seungyoun hesitantly offers a simple, “Hi.”

Hangyul seems unfazed, just blinking slowly back at him. “Mmph, good morning,” he mumbles finally, obviously still not quite awake. He yawns, a hand coming up to rub at his face. “Good night,” he mumbles again, turning over to go back to sleep.

“H-hey, wait!” Seungyoun is not only surprised at Hangyul’s lack of reaction, but also mildly offended. Is waking up with him so un-impactful that Hangyul is just going to _go back to sleep_? 

“What?” Hangyul whines. “Five more minutes.”

“I— what?! Is this— Is this okay?!” Seungyoun splutters loudly, flustered and again, mildly offended.

Hangyul reaches out to swat at him, his hand coming to cover Seungyoun’s mouth. “Shh. I’m sleeping.”

“You are not—!” protests Seungyoun, but his words fall on deaf ears as Hangyul determinedly burrows deeper into his pillows. He sighs in exasperation and throws the blankets off the both of them, earning a displeased groan from the younger. “I’m going back to my room!” he announces in a huff as he unceremoniously crawls over his sleepy housemate and clambers off the bed. His pride is wounded at how unaffected Hangyul is to this and so he stomps back to his own room with what’s left of his dignity.

“Okay, bye!” Hangyul calls just as Seungyoun snaps his door shut and collapses back into his own bed. He silently simmers in the comfort of his own sheets, but it doesn’t last long. Though his bed is much less warm compared to what he’d woken up to, it is cozy nonetheless. That paired with the steady thrum of the rain outside gently coaxes him back to sleep. It’s okay, he decides, he can continue to be offended when he wakes up again.

(Which he does, but Hangyul simply laughs at him later that day as Seungyoun glares at him from the sofa when the younger finally emerges from his room. 

“Apologize,” Seungyoun demands, pointing an accusatory finger at him. 

“For what?” he responds, laughing brightly as he slumps onto the couch beside him.

Seungyoun seethes again, crossing his arms over his chest and giving his housemate a dirty look through narrowed eyes. This just encourages Hangyul even more and he leans into Seungyoun as his shoulders shake with laughter. It makes that familiar warmth spread through Seungyoun, even though he wouldn’t want to admit it at the moment.

“It’s fine,” Hangyul chuckles, scrolling through his phone as he gets comfortable pressed into his side. “It happens.”)

“And then he said it’s—!” Seungyoun pauses, glances at his tightly closed door, leans closer to his phone, and lowers his voice into an urgent whisper. “ _Not a big deal_!”

Seungwoo laughs back at him from his screen. “Okay and?”

“How is it not a big deal?! I _kissed_ him!”

“I mean it isn’t really, it’s normal. People do it all the time.”

“So what if I kissed you?”

Seungwoo hums. “Depends, where are you kissing me?”

Seungyoun looks at him strangely. “Uh, I don’t know, like at your house or something?”

“No, dumbass!” He rolls his eyes. “Like the cheek or what? I wouldn’t mind if you kissed me anyway, we’re good enough friends for it to be fine.”

Seungyoun flounders at this, choking on his own inability to form words for a moment. “ _Friends?!_ ” he repeats incredulously. “Hangyul and I aren’t just good _friends_!”

A pause. Seungwoo gives him a knowing look, his mouth curling into a mischievous smile. “Oh? So what are you then?”

Seungyoun feels a bit like he’s chased himself into this corner. He hates it. He settles for glaring at Seungwoo for as long as possible before he’s forced to provide an answer. “We’re housemates too,” he finally huffs, knowing how weak it sounds.

“Mm, of course you are,” responds Seungwoo, with an air of someone who knows more than he’s letting on. Seungyoun feels like he’s making fun of him somehow.

“Tell me,” he whines, pouting at his friend.

“Tell you what?”

“You know something!” Seungyoun shakes his phone, as if to rattle some sense into the virtual version of Seungwoo trapped on his screen.

“What do I know? That you have a cr—”

“Hyung, you left this in my room last night,” Hangyul swings the door open right then, loud enough to talk over Seungwoo. He’s holding Seungyoun’s blanket from last night and he tosses it casually at him, laughing when he fails to catch it. He waves at Seungwoo as Seungyoun saves his blanket from the floor before ducking back out of the room.

When Seungyoun turns back to his phone, the blanket now draped across his shoulders, he finds Seungwoo smirking at him. “What,” he scowls.

“Last night, hm? Care to share?”

Seungyoun avoids his gaze, busying himself by tugging on the edge of his blanket. “I fell asleep in his bed and woke up with him,” he rushes out in one breath, hoping Seungwoo’s grandpa ears won’t pick up on any of his words.

Unfortunately, Seungwoo really isn’t the grandpa Seungyoun thinks he is. He lets out a loud whoop of laughter. “And were you not going to tell me that! Why? Because it’s, wait, hm, _not a big deal_?”

“Shut up!” Seungyoun looks back at his door as he desperately turns the volume lower on his phone. “It’s not a big deal okay,” he hisses, nearly pressing his nose to his screen so he can really glare at Seungwoo. “He said it’s fine!”

“Oh did he now?” Seungwoo wiggles his eyebrows at him, looking every bit like the cat that got the cream. “So why are you sniffing your blanket like that?”

Seungyoun startles, not even fully aware of how he’s burrowed into the blanket, pressing it close to him. It feels warm and if he closes his eyes, it smells just enough like Hangyul to take him back to where he woke up this morning. Wait, no! He abruptly throws the blanket to the floor with more force than he intended.

“I am _not_!” Seungyoun leaps to his feet, flustered and embarrassed at how transparent he is. “I’m just checking for, for—!” He cuts himself off with an aggravated groan and collapses back into his chair. “You’re supposed to be _helping_ me…”

Seungwoo just tuts at him in response, smiling knowingly. “I am helping you. You’ll get there eventually.”

Seungyoun wants to whine and ask what he means by that, but he feels like he kind of already knows the answer. Later, after he’s ended the call with Seungwoo and climbed into bed, he mulls over the many things the other had said to him. One thing won’t stop nagging at the back of his mind. Seungyoun had shyly admitted he’d kissed Hangyul on the forehead, then insisted that it’s perfectly normal since it’s the same as a kiss on the cheek, which Seungwoo had categorized as ‘normal between friends’. But instead of quelling his nerves, Seungwoo had only said something to make them go a bit more haywire.

“Well,” Seungwoo had mused thoughtfully. “What were you thinking when you did it?”

“What do you mean?”

“When I want to kiss Wooseok on the forehead, it’s because I look at him and go, wow that’s the cutest boy I’ve ever seen.” Seungwoo sighed, disgustingly mushy. “ _B_ _ut_ forehead kisses can also be platonic too like, I’m just taking care of you. So either you’re his mom or…” Seungwoo trailed off, letting Seungyoun’s internal dialogue complete his unfinished sentence.

It’s true that he likes taking care of Hangyul, but it’s even more true that Hangyul _is_ cute. He has the cutest toothy smile and the cutest nose scrunch and the cutest hands and— he really _is_ the cutest boy in the whole world. Seungyoun isn’t sure what Seungwoo’s confused about, because sure Wooseok is adorable, but has he seen Hangyul? There’s no one cuter! Objectively speaking, of course.

Seungyoun sinks deeper into his bed, shaking off his nerves. Hangyul is cute (this is a fact, not an opinion) and that’s why he’s so flustered. Everyone is weak to cute boys! He’s sure this doesn’t mean anything. Like Hangyul had said before, it happens. It’s not a big deal. He repeats this thought to himself as he squeezes his eyes shut and hopes his heart can go back to beating normally. But the way his blanket still smells like Hangyul and persistently reminds him of the cosy warmth of the other’s presence isn’t really helping.

The rain clears over the course of the next couple of days and Seungyoun finds himself gazing outside longingly one morning. There’s a dog park across the street from their apartment building with wide lawns bathed in soft sunshine. It seems so nice to be out there; he could really use some fresh air. With this in mind, he darts out into the hallway to knock on Hangyul’s door. The other sounds drowsy when he answers, voice lazy as it mumbles behind the wood.

“Wanna go to the dog park?”

Hangyul opens the door to look at him with a scrunched up face, obviously just woken up. He rubs at his eyes and just stares back at him.

“The dog park?” Seungyoun repeats, feeling even more excited the more he says it.

“Hyung we don’t have a dog,” Hangyul deadpans in return. 

“We can just go for a walk!” insists Seungyoun, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him to the bathroom. “C’mon, _please_! The fresh air will feel nice, we’ll just make one round and then come back.”

Hangyul silently obeys, brushing his teeth and washing his face while Seungyoun almost vibrates around the apartment, buzzing with excitement. He never knew stepping out of the house would feel so exhilarating.

But the sunshine feels _so nice_ once they’re walking across the street, a smooth breeze softly sweeping through their hair. It’s pleasantly quiet; the lack of traffic and crowds of pedestrians is apparent. There’s only a few other people at the park, accompanied by their dogs of course, and the pair of them find a bench to sit on. A tree casts them in half shade half sun, so it’s just the right mix of warm and cool.

“I like this,” Hangyul says as they watch an owner toss a tennis ball across the field for their fluffy dog. 

“I never knew I could miss _grass_ ,” comments Seungyoun, kicking his feet against the ground. This earns a laugh from Hangyul, who nudges his foot against the other’s in response.

They sit in companionable silence for some time, just soaking up the outside air, making idle comments every now and then (“We’re photosynthesizing,” Seungyoun murmurs suddenly at one point, sending Hangyul into a bout of silent giggles) and just calmly observing their surroundings. Seungyoun is about to suggest they head back inside to make lunch when he notices something across the lawns. He perks up and points at a dog running excitedly.

“Dude! That one looks like you!”

Hangyul has half the mind to be offended, raising a brow at him. He silently questions Seungyoun into explaining himself.

“When it’s running, it’s mouth opens like yours does when you laugh. And its eyes get all scrunchy and cute. It looks like your smile.” Seungyoun is too busy looking fondly at the dog to notice the way Hangyul’s gaze softens towards him.

“You notice all that?” he asks after a moment of silence. “About me?”

Seungyoun turns to meet his eyes. He tilts his head at the other, mildly confused. “Of course I do,” he says, like it’s obvious. “You laugh a lot.”

Hangyul shrugs, dropping his gaze and instead looking out at the dog he supposedly resembles. It’s cute, tail wagging as it bounds over to its owner and knocks him to the ground to attack him with kisses. “It’s because you make me laugh a lot hyung.”

Seungyoun grins at this, bumping his shoulder gently against his. “I’m glad.” He misses the way Hangyul’s ears turn a bit red at this, too busy standing up and throwing his limbs into an exaggerated stretch as he announces that the last person to get home has to wash the dishes after lunch. He takes off in a sprint, leaving Hangyul to shout in protest as he bolts after him.

They just make grilled cheeses for lunch so there aren’t even that many dishes to do anyway. Seungyoun feels slightly guilty for _technically_ cheating by getting a head start earlier, so he and Hangyul both crowd up against the sink to wash the pans and plates they used. They’re elbow to elbow but Seungyoun barely hears the rapid thrumming of his heart, too focused on the booming laugh Hangyul lets out every time he successfully flicks soap bubbles onto Seungyoun’s shirt.

He’s still thinking about it later when he’s sitting at his desk, trying his best to bust out the last few paragraphs of an essay that’s due in a few days. By now he’s used to the buzz in his chest whenever he thinks of Hangyul, but it does get pretty distracting when he’s trying to be productive. He groans, leaning back in his chair and wishing he wasn’t obligated to know _anything_ about the digestibility of phosphorus. 

Seungyoun tumbles off his chair and into his bed, face down and frustrated. All he can hear is his heart incessantly beating loudly in his ears, reminding him of how much of a mess he is. When he looks up at his desk, all he sees is his document, still unfinished and now mocking him. He gets up and decides to do a lap around the apartment, hoping it will calm his heart down and get him to actually put some real effort into finishing his work. 

He soon learns that this is a bad idea. A very bad idea. He should have just sat in his room and meditated or taken a nap or really anything else because the sight that greets him in the living room has his mouth running dry and his heart running straight out of his body.

“Hyung, hey.” A very shirtless, very sweaty Hangyul is spread out on the floor, looking exhausted after just finishing a set of perfect pushups. He is quite literally glowing, all golden and gleaming in the middle of their apartment like some sort of priceless statue. He smiles up at Seungyoun. “Sorry, it’s too hot to work out in my room. I won’t lay on the couch or get it sweaty or anything, I promise.”

Seungyoun barely registers what he’s saying, trying very hard to not stare but also trying just as hard to not avoid staring. If he looks too much, Hangyul will think he’s strange. But if he determinedly avoids looking, he would be a) missing out on the view (oh _God_ the view) and b) making it very obvious that he’s nervous. Seungyoun gulps weakly, tugging at the collar of his shirt. He feels very warm. “Is that what you look like when you work out? All the time?”

Oblivious, Hangyul pouts up at him. His expression makes him look like a puppy and it almost makes it possible for Seungyoun to forget the way his bare torso glistens with sweat. _Almost_.

“Hyung,” he whines. “I know I make ugly faces when I work out. You don’t have to make fun of me.” He exaggeratedly crosses his arms over his chest and Seungyoun audibly chokes as his muscles tighten and shift with each movement. Hangyul tilts his head at Seungyoun’s reaction, opening his mouth to presumedly ask if he’s okay. The realization that he’s close to being caught propels him to make his escape. 

“Y-yeah, that’s what it is,” Seungyoun nearly shouts before the other has a chance to speak. He laughs nervously, much too loud and too forced to seem natural, as he hastily makes his way back down the hall. “Ugly, ha, of course that’s what I meant— ah! No worries, just tripped over… over— oh there’s nothing there, yes, well—!” 

His bedroom door slams shut behind him, effectively cutting himself off. His ankle throbs from when he’d stumbled over absolutely nothing in his rush to return to the safety of his room. Seungyoun breathes out a sigh of relief; that was close. He’d nearly been found out! Good thing he knew how to think on his feet, Hangyul _definitely_ wouldn’t be suspicious after he played it off so well. Okay, maybe not. Doubt and a bit of mild panic settle into Seungyoun’s mind and he leaps under his covers, trying to talk himself into calming down. There’s only one thing to do here.

The call connects after two rings and a disgruntled Seungwoo comes into view. “What happened with Hangyul now?”

“How did you know?” Seungyoun gasps.

“I’m an all-knowing being,” he deadpans in response. “So?”

Seungyoun quickly recounts his encounter in the living room, once again finding the room growing hot as his mind flickers back to the way Hangyul’s back muscles rippled with each push up. He explains how his heart _still_ won’t stop acting up, instead only intensifying as the days go by.

“Well it just sounds like you’re coming to terms with your crush on him,” Seungwoo sighs in response, running a hand through his hair. “I mean, finally I guess? It’s been a while.”

“C-crush?” repeats Seungyoun, incredulous. “Since when have I had a crush?”

Seungwoo’s brows knit together and he squints at him, confused. “Have you not had a crush on him for like, forever? I thought you just didn’t want to tell me but it was really obvious. It was maybe about two or three months after you guys started living together?”

“What was obvious?” Seungyoun is having a hard time following what Seungwoo is insinuating.

“I mean, that’s just when I noticed but it could probably have been earlier,” he continues. “I just remember watching you and realizing that you look at Hangyul like he’s the only person in the room. Like he’s the most impressive thing you’ve seen since sliced bread.”

Seungyoun pauses a moment, trying to process what Seungwoo is saying. Sliced bread isn’t particularly impressive, but Hangyul? Now _that_ boy is quite impressive. He makes Seungyoun feel cared for and appreciated, but that’s just what good housemates do. And he’s got a bright smile and soft cheeks and a musical laugh that makes the world feel warmer. Isn’t that also just something housemates do? Feel like home? Because Hangyul feels like home to Seungyoun.

Pause. Hold on. Oh. _Oh._

Realization dawns on Seungyoun, slowly at first and then all at once. He watches rather than hears Seungwoo continue to speak, not processing the words as he thinks over the past weeks locked in together with Hangyul. 

He thinks about the way his heart skips and his stomach swoops when he’s around Hangyul, and the way the world sort of falls away when Hangyul directs that bright smile at him. He recalls the way Hangyul is always looking after him, whether it’s by giving him the best toppings on the pizza or making sure he doesn’t fall sick. His chest warms as he remembers that Hangyul knows all the little things about him even without having to tell him, how he always leaves his umbrella lying around, how he likes to sleep on the side of the bed closest to the wall, how he likes to have more milk than cereal in his bowl. 

How did he never realize that Hangyul makes him feel light and comfortable? Both safe and excited? He’d always thought it was just how well they got along; he’d always considered Hangyul one of his best friends, but something about him always felt different than how he saw any of his other friends, Seungwoo for example. Sure he loved Seungwoo, but he _definitely_ didn’t have the prettiest laugh or the warmest smile and the thought of waking up in bed next to Seungwoo had Seungyoun cringing. Yeah, definitely not the same as Hangyul.

Somehow, this doesn’t feel like a groundbreaking realization. Instead, it’s like he’s just rediscovered an old favorite song; it feels somewhat new, but at the same time it evokes a strong sense of comfort that makes him think of coming home.

“Seungyoun? Did the screen freeze?” Seungwoo’s incoherent mumbling knocks Seungyoun back to reality and he watches as the other taps his screen to check his connection.

“No,” he abruptly speaks up, sitting straighter in his chair. “No, I was just—” A knock at his bedroom door stops him and he calls “Come in!” more out of reflex than anything before he realizes there’s only one person who could possibly on the other side of that door. The regret sets in belatedly and Hangyul pokes his head in before Seungyoun can even panic over all the wrong things he may blurt out to his housemate now that he’s fully, consciously aware of his crush.

“Hyung, I sliced you some fruit,” Hangyul is saying, grinning at him. “I was making myself a post-work out snack and thought you might want some so it’s on the counter whenever—”

“I love you.” The words practically tumble of Seungyoun’s mouth and he can hear Seungwoo’s startled yelp in his earphones, obviously just as shocked as Seungyoun is. Oh no, he’s doing this all wrong.

Hangyul laughs at this, eyes crinkling at the corners. “It’s just fruit hyung, but yeah I love you too?”

“No, no, I mean like,” Seungyoun takes a deep breath. He feels the words on the tip of his tongue, but the frantic yelling in his ears from Seungwoo is enough to redirect him. His friend is right, now probably isn’t a good time for this. He hasn’t thought it over enough and he wants to make sure to get it _just_ right. So instead he says, “I mean, thanks for taking care of me.”

Hangyul gives him a strange look, amusement evident on his face. “You’re being weird,” he chuckles. “But yeah, anytime hyung.” He shakes his head a little and shuts the door.

“Oh dear God you nearly gave me a heart attack,” Seungwoo wheezes once Hangyul is gone, a hand clutching his chest. “A little warning would be good next time, yeah?”

“Shut up, I just had a life-changing revelation!” Seungyoun shoots back. “Hyung how did you let me get so stupid?”

Seungwoo clicks his tongue at him, looking sympathetic. “Oh Seungyoun,” he says gently, “You did that all on your own.”

Seungyoun flips him off and hangs up on him before collapsing back into his pillows with a loud groan. So now not only does he have an irregularly beating heart, he also has a new wave of feelings to come to terms with, and the conundrum of figuring out if, when and how he confesses. 

It turns out, though, that it’s not really a conundrum and he doesn’t really need that much time to come to terms with his feelings. Now that he knows why his heart has been acting up, he feels strangely at ease. He guesses that’s just the effect Hangyul has on him. And it makes sense, when he thinks about it. It’s Hangyul of all people! He’s someone who’s easy to be around, easy to get along with, easy to fall for. Like he’s been saying this entire time, it happens.

He doesn’t really plan it, but it happens later that day at dinner. It’s a bit like deja vu; they’re sitting on the living room floor again, the second-to-last frozen pizza sitting on the coffee table between them, a mirror image of the first night of lockdown. Gentle curls of steam waft off the surface of the pizza, blurring their view of Seungyoun’s laptop where the opening credits of a drama flash across the screen.

Hangyul slides a loaded plate over to Seungyoun before serving himself. The two of them watch as the drama’s female lead falls asleep on her male lead’s shoulder during a late night bus ride. It’s quiet as they listen to the soundtrack fill the living room.

Taking a deep breath, Seungyoun looks up from his pizza and studies Hangyul as he eats his own slice. “Hangyul.”

“Mm,” Hangyul grunts in response, a string of cheese stretching from his mouth to his piece.

“I think I like you.”

Hangyul stops and his gaze flickers over to Seungyoun, cheese suspended in the air. “You _think_?” he asks, prompting him for clarification.

“No,” Seungyoun responds firmly. “I know.”

He smiles. “I know too hyung.” Hangyul laughs and scoops his cheesy bite into his mouth. 

“What do you mean?”

“Dude. You kissed me like two days ago.”

“That was last week!” blubbers Seungyoun, red bursting onto his cheeks.

“So you’ve been thinking about it ever since, huh?” Hangyul raises a brow at him, teasing.

“Wha— what,” Seungyoun falters. He’s confused. He blinks, trying to get the conversation back to where he wants it. “What do you mean by you know too?”

Hangyul shrugs. “I know you hyung. I can tell.”

“Okay. So?” Seungyoun shifts uncomfortably, trying to calm his nerves. 

“So what?” There’s that teasing lilt to Hangyul’s voice again.

“I don’t like this,” Seungyoun complains. “I confessed and you’re just making fun of me!”

“Hyung,” Hangyul laughs softly. He wraps greasy fingers around Seungyoun’s wrist and tugs him forward into his space. He leans forward and kisses him on the mouth once, twice, three times. He pulls back and grins, affection radiating from his eyes. “Is that better?”

“You kissed me,” Seungyoun squeaks, looking dazed.

“Yes I did.”

“And I can kiss you too?”

“Why are you asking now when you didn’t last week?”

“Stop,” Seungyoun presses his hands to his face as he groans in embarrassment. 

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Hangyul soothes gently, pulling Seungyoun’s hands away. He’s leaning in again, face bright. “Kiss, please.”

And who is Seungyoun to refuse? He does as he’s asked, cupping Hangyul’s face in his hands and angling his chin up so he can kiss him. It’s gentle and sweet and he finds himself smiling into it, unable to control his overflowing happiness. And if he thought his heart was having trouble beating properly before, it has gone into overdrive now, short-circuiting and bursting in his chest. He pulls back just as Hangyul rests a hand over his chest, grinning at him.

“Calm down,” he teases, feeling the way Seungyoun’s heart hammers just a little bit harder.

“Not everyone can be calm like you, stupid,” Seungyoun retorts. “I can’t believe you didn’t even react when I fell asleep in your bed. Do you even like me?”

Hangyul rolls his eyes. “Hyung it was like nine in the morning. Plus you were gay panicking enough for the both of us.”

“It’s not gay panicking if I already know I’m gay!”

“That’s not even how it works. That’s not how it works at all.”

Seungyoun is about to tell him to shut up but decides he has a much more effective way of ensuring that Hangyul stops talking, so he just kisses him again. He takes it slow this time, just enjoying the way he kisses back and the way each press of his lips makes him feel lighter and lighter. He’s sure that if Hangyul lets go of him he will float away with the slightest of breezes. 

When Hangyul leans back, lips soft and pink and plush, he looks thoughtfully at him. “So,” he starts tentatively, “since we technically said I love you earlier is that like, a thing now or do we have to wait an awkward four months in which both of us think the other will say it first before someone cracks and lets it slip?”

Seungyoun stops short, staring at him. “You. Love me?”

“Yes…” Hangyul says slowly, gauging his reaction, “.. No…?” He furrows his brows, studying Seungyoun carefully, trying very hard to read his expression. “Why is your face like that. Are you in pain?” 

Seungyoun’s mouth shutters open and closed, unable to form words. He aggressively smacks his chest, eliciting even more confusion from the other as he desperately tries to respond. “I think my heart just stopped,” he is finally able to choke out, voice thin.

“ _Shut up_ — Ah!” Hangyul is cut off when Seungyoun tackles him to the ground, wrapping his limbs around him as tightly as possible and burying his face in his neck, squealing a delightful string of _iloveyouiloveyouiloveyou_ ’s into his ear. He can feel Hangyul shaking with laughter and it feels _so nice_ , but it feels even nicer when he slips his arms around Seungyoun’s waist and presses his nose into Seungyoun’s hair. 

The two of them lay on the floor for who knows how long, idly watching the drama that continues to run on Seungyoun’s laptop, but mostly they’re too caught up in each other, playing with each other’s hair, threading their hands together, sharing soft kisses, and teasing. Lots of teasing. Hangyul seems to love the blush that sweeps across Seungyoun’s face whenever he mimics the many instances in which Seungyoun had made his feelings obvious. And Seungyoun just enjoys the way he can freely shut Hangyul up with as many kisses as he feels like.

Of course one of the first things Seungyoun must do is call Seungwoo, one because he was forced to walk Seungyoun through this whole dilemma, and two because he is probably anxiously awaiting an update. Probably.

This time he video calls Seungwoo from his laptop, dragging Hangyul down to sit beside him on the floor of the living room. He doesn’t even wait for the other to say hello when the call connects, instead exclaiming an excited, “Hyung, look!” before he grips Hangyul’s face in his hands, squishing his cheeks together, and pulls him in to give him a wet kiss. 

Hangyul blinks at him in surprise and Seungwoo just stares. There’s a very long pause as Seungyoun looks excitedly from one to the other, hands still squeezing Hangyul’s face.

“Yes, very good Seungyoun,” Seungwoo finally says, smiling in what he hopes is an encouraging manner. “Hi Hangyul.”

“Hi hyung,” Hangyul laughs, tugging Seungyoun’s hands down to hold them in his lap. “How are you?”

Seungwoo hums thoughtfully. “A little busy right now, but I am happy for you two.” He pretends to cover his mouth to hide from Seungyoun and mouths ‘Good luck with that one’ to Hangyul.

Seungyoun chooses to ignore this. “Busy with what?”

The other opens his mouth to respond before stopping, his gaze flitting off screen as he responds to someone. Except Seungwoo lives alone so, 

“Who—” Seungyoun starts before the question dies on his lips as a small figure walks into view and settles himself in Seungwoo’s lap.

“Hello,” Wooseok says easily, perched comfortably across Seungwoo’s legs like he belongs there.

Seungyoun looks from Wooseok to Seungwoo and back again. “What are you doing there?”

“I’ve moved in,” he responds, as if that’s a perfectly normal thing to say. This seems to take Seungwoo by surprise as well.

“You have?” He looks up at Wooseok, winding his arms tighter around his waist.

“Of course,” Wooseok singsongs. He runs his fingers through Seungwoo’s bangs and smiles. “My apartment is so boring and I hate being alone. Plus you have a big—”

“Guys,” Seungyoun shouts, not at all caring for whatever is at the end of that sentence.

“I was going to say bigger shower,” scoffs Wooseok, grinning in a way that makes Seungyoun not want to believe him. “But you can think whatever you want.” 

“You guys are supposed to be self-isolating,” Seungyoun points out, trying to move past the implications of Wooseok’s words.

“Oh don’t worry.” Wooseok waves him off. He smiles at this, mostly to himself, as he gazes fondly into Seungwoo’s eyes. “Seungwoo made sure to clean me up very nicely when I arrived.”

“Hm, I did, didn’t I,” chuckles Seungwoo, and he presses his face close to the other, their noses brushing.

“ _Guys_ ,” this time it’s Hangyul who stops them before it gets too rated, while all Seungyoun can manage is a strangled noise in the back of his throat. His boyfriend gently pats Seungyoun’s cheek as Seungyoun attempts to turn his own brain into mush, if only to get rid of any and all mental images of Wooseok and Seungwoo.

Wooseok’s laugh rings brightly through the laptop speakers. “Aw, Seungyoun are you shy? Or are you and Hangyul only at the hand-holding stage?” He quirks a brow at him, eager to get a rise out of Seungyoun.

He can hear Hangyul trying very hard to hold in his laughter beside him. He knows it’s all in good fun, he and Wooseok’s friendship is kept alive by their bickering, but his competitive nature just won’t rest while Wooseok sits there like a smug cat as he bats his lashes innocently at him. Oh, he’ll show him _shy_.

“Hangyul, get in my lap,” Seungyoun hisses, tugging at his boyfriend as he eyes Wooseok on the screen.

He looks at him in confusion. “My single thigh is bigger than your head,” he returns, unmoved as Seungyoun attempts to yank him on top of him. This stops him as he takes a second to appreciate said thighs.

“They really are,” he murmurs and reaches out to run his hand over them. This makes Hangyul squirm, ticklish. 

“Hyung stop.” He pushes off Seungyoun’s hands, only for them to find their way back almost immediately. “ _Seungyoun_ ,” he warns.

“I can’t believe I never noticed,” he continues to muse to himself, squeezing suddenly. He doesn’t notice the way Hangyul grows even more flustered before he is suddenly jerked into Hangyul’s lap and his boyfriend has trapped his hands at his sides with a strong grip around him. 

“You need to behave while we have company,” Hangyul scolds quietly, lips right against his ear. Seungyoun would have probably been more affected by this except he’s too busy staring down Wooseok in a silent battle for— for what exactly he doesn’t know, but he _will_ win. All he knows is he gets to sit in the lap of the cutest boy ever, and all Wooseok gets is Seungwoo. He sticks his tongue out at the screen to which Wooseok rolls his eyes.

“Oh, that reminds me, Seungwoo hyung.” Seungyoun reaches to wind an arm around Hangyul’s shoulders, getting comfortable. He gently pokes his cheek. “I know you said that Wooseok is the cutest boy ever but look. Look at this.” He grins as Hangyul’s cheeks flush beneath his fingertips.

He’s too busy admiring the _actual_ Cutest Boy Ever to notice how Wooseok perks up at this.

“Oh? You think I’m the cutest boy ever?” Wooseok looks like he has more to say, except he is suddenly on the floor and out of view as Seungwoo jumps up, effectively depositing him from his lap as he crowds close to the camera.

“Never call me again you heathen,” Seungwoo threatens before the line abruptly disconnects and they are left alone.

Seungyoun settles back into Hangyul’s embrace and sighs. “I’ll bet you next month’s rent that they’ll be dating by tomorrow morning.” He smiles, proud of himself.

“They’re definitely not going to be that fast,” Hangyul responds, leaning back against the couch behind him and adjusting Seungyoun in his arms. 

“Aren’t you glad we aren’t as clueless as they are?” Seungyoun looks to Hangyul for an approving nod, except all he gets is a dubiously raised brow.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Hangyul murmurs, mostly to himself as he runs a hand through Seungyoun’s hair. He leans into the touch, feeling too blissful and content to counter his comment. If this is how the rest of lockdown will be going, he hopes it lasts a very, _very_ long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! i hope you liked it and that the second part fulfilled any expectations you had from the first! if you have time, please leave a comment or kudos if you'd like ♡
> 
> find me on [twt](https://twitter.com/chuseungs)


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